Ribbons of Smoke
by Lady Chaos the First
Summary: Morwenna Riddle, Lord Voldemort's daughter. Her only dream is to free herself from a future of oppression and control, doing her father's bidding.Will she be able to fight her father's will and break free of an uneasy future? Voldmort's daughter fic.
1. Prologue

Rodolphus Lestrange did not consider himself a man who scared easily. He was one of the Dark Lord's bravest Death Eaters, in fact. But walking towards Malfoy Manor by a cold forest path, fear nearly struck him dead. In less than a few minutes, he'd have to discuss what plans were to be made for his brat of a daughter, and that was a frightening thought.

Malfoy Manor loomed high above the skeletal trees surrounding the house. The full moon shone pale light onto the dead leaves on the ground, a far cry from what usually surrounded the aristocratic dwelling. At the door step, Narcissa Malfoy herself stared nervously at him, an approaching figure.

"There you are, Rodolphus," she said, waving him inside and shutting the door with a bang. "I haven't seen you for months. The Dark Lord is in the dining room. Inky, go take that cloak and hood immediately, before I get out the whip!"

Narcissa looked distinctly unwell at closer observation. Her previously glorious head of long blond hair now had a wispy look to it, and her tired grey eyes were surrounded with black rings. Inky, the scared looking house elf, stared at him like a scared squirrel.

"Go," she snapped at the unfortunate elf wearing a graying tea towel around her waist. Inky shot off towards the cloakroom.

She proceeded to point him to the large dining room, where Rodolphus could already hear muffled voices from behind the large oaken door. He motioned for her to enter with him, but she silently put a finger to her lips and turned her attention to a tapestry on the wall.

Creaking the door open, familiar faces stared at him. Bellatrix, his wife, tilted her head ever so slightly and widened her heavy-lidded eyes. The table was filled to the brim with food served on golden plates, and yet none of them were touched.

"How kind of you to join us," the Dark Lord trilled, daring anybody to contradict. Rodolphus calmly helped himself to some steak and pudding, trying to ignore the mounting fear in his stomach. "Maybe you'll provide better answers than the usual buffoons I hired. Tell me, how was your escape?"

His tone was that of utter conversational calm, but Rodolphus could sense the tone of concealed malice. "Daunting, my lord, but worth it to be at your eternal service."

"Indeed," the Dark Lord said silkily. "We are gathered today to discuss what you wish for my daughter, who is now of little use to me now that her spirit is impure. Should she be killed? Perhaps. Or perhaps not. Crabbe, stand up. The woman."

Alana Crabbe stood up, smoothing the robe of her skirt. "My lord, Morwenna is at the school I placed her in, as you instructed." She was a plain woman, going on forty, with limp blonde hair and green eyes that had seen too much.

"Doing well, I hope?"

Narcissa had spoken from the doorway, shaking in the Dark Lord's presence. Rodolphus noticed the way her thin left arm quivered like a leaf. A reckless notion of his was to put his arm around her, but one look from his wife quailed that thought.

"Tolerably," Alana meekly said, sitting down at her place again.

"I see," said the Dark Lord, helping himself to a serving of trifle. "Is it safe for her to remain there?"

"It is, my lord," Bellatrix stated plainly. "There is the utmost security at this location. I assure you, our performance was to the best of our power."

"But is that enough?"

"It will have to be."

Those were the last words Alana Crabbe ever uttered, before there was a flash of green light and she knew no more.


	2. Paradise Lost

Chapter One

_October 31__st__, 1981_

A pretty, dark-haired girl clad in pink ran along the edge of a ravine with her pet lamb, not a care in the world. If she fell, she would fall hundreds of feet to her death, but such foolish fears were outside of her recognition.

She had no recollection of who her real mother was, or her real father, but there was no need for her to care. Alana took care care of everything for her. The girl was only two and a half, but nothing could disrupt an orderly world just like hers.

Morwenna Riddle was her name, and she was dangerously close to falling down to the rushing water below. She giggled, utterly content with her own mischief. Alana had told her not to go there before, but she took a certain pleasure in breaking the rules set for her.

"It's nice here, isn't it, Snow?" Morwenna asked, looking at her lamb, who had flower petals in her fur. Snow made a noise that resembled a baa.

Morwenna had a better vocabulary than most toddlers, but she had little to compare with. The only other person she had met was Alana, who was even better than a mother. She knew that her father was very powerful, but he was so busy he couldn't visit her.

The sun was shining brightly onto the October grass, adorned with primroses. The day was nice enough for whistling cheerfully, even though Morwenna had not the slightest clue of how to whistle. She flipped onto her back and sighed contentedly, without a care in the entire world.

She thought she could spot several streaks of black across the sky, darker than the darkest cloud she'd ever seen. Morwenna promptly sat up with a start, clutching Snow to her chest. It looked like swooping witches on broomsticks, and they abruptly landed on the ground in front of her.

"Out of my way, Muggle," one of them spat, kicking Morwenna away from her with a boot. Morwenna flinched away from her.

"I'm a witch," she said, with the stubbornness of a toddler. The woman, whose heavy-lidded eyes and thick black hair looked menacing in the light, opened her mouth slightly.

"What's your name?" the same woman asked. Another one looked on nervously with a pregnant stomach, gazing at the house a hundred yards away.

"Morwenna Riddle," she said, wanting to run, but her legs wouldn't move. Both women exchanged brief looks.

"Come with me," the pregnant woman said, running a hand through her thick blonde hair.

Morwenna blinked her large grey eyes rapidly. Her brain only registered one thing: run. But the blonde woman had seized her by the hand and was pulling her up towards the cottage upon the hill.

"Morwenna?" An equally blonde woman was running from the doorstep, wiping her hands on the hem of her robes. She was no older than twenty-five, but carried herself like a much older woman. This was Alana Sims. "Narcissa? Bellatrix?"

"The Dark Lord has been vanquished." The woman called Bellatrix shook her black head angrily. "This child is now an orphan, with only you as her guardian."

Alana feebly led them into the sitting room, where she collapsed onto the parlor sofa. "That's impossible. Morwenna surely must have-"

"Morwenna is now going to be one of the most hunted children in the Wizarding world," Narcissa stated bluntly. "She needs immediate protection if you do not want her killed before she even gets her first wand."

Morwenna felt like interjecting a wail, but had enough self control not to. The news the strange witches seemed to be bearing meant that her own future was in jeopardy. "I want to stay here," she whined.

Bellatrix slapped her mouth. A trickle of blood dripped from Morwenna's upper lip. "Shut your mouth, girl. We can't have a child underfoot."

It was a testimony to the seriousness of the situation that Alana did not run up to her. "Your fiancée is under arrest, to make things worse," Narcissa said, grimacing.

"Ashley Crabbe!" Alana sank even deeper. "What are we all to do? The Ministry could be here in seconds for our arrest warrants."

"I have an arrest warrant," Bellatrix said. "We need to take Morwenna with us, perhaps to Malfoy Manor. You should go to the Ministry of Magic. You were never a Death Eater, so explain about Ashley. It isn't safe to bring the child with you. Come, Morwenna. Don't make a fuss."

Morwenna was surprisingly obedient to Bellatrix's commands. She toddled over and clutched the witch's leg. Bellatrix kicked her off in disgust.

"Stop touching me, insolent brat! I'm here because I have to, not because I want to. Shut up and get behind me. We're going by Portkey."

Morwenna had never been a crying child. But she felt like it when she realized that she was putting her entire life behind her. "What about Snow?" she asked desperately, trying to stall for time.

Alana shoved the writhing lamb into Morwenna's hands, giving Bellatrix such a look she dared not question. Narcissa checked the golden watch on her watch. "Say goodbye, Alana," Narcissa said. "You aren't going to see her for a while."

She complied and kneeled down, at eye level to Morwenna. "Listen to me, Morwenna," she started. "Please, be agreeable. There are very large problems we have to deal with. I might not see you for a while, maybe a year or so. I need to help Ashley. Remember him? Narcissa is going to let you live in her house. Soon, you're going to have a new playmate."

"Keep your head up, please. The better you behave, the sooner you can go home. I'm sure that Narcissa and her husband are going to be as kind as they can be to you. Be grateful and be proud of who you are, all right? I'll see you as soon as I can."

Morwenna nodded slowly. "Accio trunk!" Alana said, and Morwenna's trunk came zooming into the parlor. "Goodbye, Morwenna. Be careful."

With those parting words, Narcissa placed her hand onto an old boot as well as Morwenna's, and they both faded into an uncertain future.


	3. A Birthday to Remember

Chapter Three

_November 12__th__, 1983_

It was Morwenna's fourth birthday, and it was a dull and cheerless one, just like the one before it had been.

She was sure that the Malfoy family was trying their very hardest, and that she should be very grateful, but it was often hard, for she had to behave impeccably while she was living under their roof. Draco was supposed to be her playmate, but she really could not stand the two year old. Already, his ego was larger than Jupiter.

It was hard not to be jealous of him, because he had everything she had ever wanted in her relatively short life. He had a beautiful bedroom, all the toys he could want, and worst of all; he was going to _Hogwarts _when he was eleven. Morwenna wanted to go to Hogwarts more than anything in the world, but it was too dangerous. She knew that.

"Pow pow! I'm on a broomstick!" Draco was smacking plastic broom models against Morwenna's legs, ignoring the book she had been reading. She had been taught to read at a very young age, for it kept her out of everyone's hair. But Draco didn't give piffle about books.

"Draco, leave. Immediately." Morwenna, even at four, could deliver her remarks with incredible coldness that made Draco shiver in terror.

"You can't tell me what to do." In an instant, Draco recovered and went back to playing with his toy. Morwenna sighed and picked her book up again. It was a classic, about a witch who fell in love with a vampire. The book hardly held her interest, but she had nothing else to read.

"Draco, darling, come see the Notts in the parlor." Narcissa had walked into the sitting room, wearing fine silk robes. "Morwenna, just stay here. Don't let them see you. The less people who know that you exist, the better."

That was usually the sort of way Narcissa spoke to her. She wasn't treated unkindly, but was allowed nowhere near the indulgence of Draco. And constantly, the reminders that she had never been wanted, only a bastard child that others had to take care of. Things would have been better if she had never been born.

Alana had faded into a near distant memory in her head. She had left nearly two years ago, and yet there was still no contact with her. Alana had said that it could be a year before she saw Morwenna. It had been far longer than that.

Snow had crawled into the sitting room, and Morwenna stooped to hug her. At least her lamb could remember that she was four that day.

A knock at the door interrupted her reading once again. Morwenna knew better than to answer it. "Narcissa!" Narcissa came running down.

"What is it?" Narcissa asked, dress ruffled.

"Someone's at the door." Narcissa sped off to the oaken door. Morwenna followed her, stepping quietly.

A ghostly man stood in the center of the doorway. His ebony robes starkly contrasted with his fish-like blue eyes. "I need to see Lucius Malfoy, if you please. We need to discuss Morwenna Riddle. Have you seen her?"

Narcissa paled. "She's right here," she said, pushing Morwenna forward.

He knelt down to be at eye level. "How old are you, Morwenna?"

"I'm four today," Morwenna answered, scanning the corridor with her eyes.

"She looks far too serious for four," the man said. "My name is Dagmar Forestay, and I want to offer her a place at St. Rosamund's Preparatory Academy in a year's time. She will learn how to control magic and properly integrate into Wizarding society. It sounds better than keeping the child locked up in your own home, Mrs. Malfoy."

Narcissa frowned. "I'm afraid that schooling like that is out of the question."

"Tuition is merely a few Galleons every year. Aren't you one of the aristocratic Malfoys? You have thousands of Galleons in Gringotts."

"Money is not what is out of the question," said Narcissa, pursing her lips. "What is unreasonable is the fact that the child I was entrusted with is the one you want me to send off to an unknown school at the age of five. She is far too young."

Morwenna could see through that lie like glass. The real reason she couldn't go was that she was it wasn't safe for her to go, because of the awful Light Side. If the Light Side could murder her father and make sure that she would never see Alana for a very long time, they must be terrible.

"It isn't that young. She needs to leave the nest eventually. Don't you want her to be educated?"

Fingering her brown robe, she looked up at Narcissa. "This child isn't even legally mine," Narcissa said. "This is Alana Sims's charge. Or she may be Alana Crabbe now. At any rate, I would have to consult with her before sending the girl off."

"That's funny," Dagmar said. "I happen to know that there is currently an Alana Crabbe living a few blocks away from the Ministry of Magic. You say she's Morwenna's legal guardian? Why haven't there been any visits or contact? The Ministry keeps a rather firm watch on the cases of minors."

Narcissa balked. "The Ministry doesn't give a damn about Morwenna."

Morwenna bounced on her heels. "I need to see Alana! I have to!"

"Be quiet, child," Narcissa snapped. "She's next door to the Ministry, that's like walking into the apocalypse. Besides, she'd have come to see you if she wanted to."

"I think that the discussion is trailing off from where it was," Dagmar interjected.

"On the contrary," said Narcissa, "It's right where it should be. Unless I contact Alana Crabbe, there is no question of sending Morwenna to school. This chat is finished. Come, Morwenna."

Morwenna did not come. "When you said you knew Alana Crabbe," she said slowly, "How do you know her?"

"Morwenna!" Narcissa's call was as sharp as an axe. "Come, _immediately. _I don't want to her another word. The Notts are most likely listening."

She hated to disobey, but she did not budge from her spot any further. "Take me to Alana, _now. _I have to see her."

Dagmar shook his head. "Listen to Mrs. Malfoy, child. It is a pity we will be losing a potential student, madam." He turned on his heel to leave, but Narcissa frantically waved him back.

"Very well, I'll consider it. Where do I send the owl to?"

He beamed, convinced that his strategy had worked. "Forty-two Fortuna Circle, Wales. Glad to do business with you, Mrs. Malfoy."

Narcissa slammed the door and looked down at Morwenna, her eyes blazing. "You stupid, stupid child! Do you have any idea about what you could have caused! Once Lucius hears about this…When I tell you to do something, you do it! Is that clear? How is my family going to be safe with you around, Morwenna? I'll have to send you off to school. Otherwise, what am I going to do?"

Morwenna backed up into a corner, mollified. "But why won't Alana ever see me?"

"Because she doesn't want to," she replied, smoothing down her blonde hair that so resembled Draco's. "Alana's married and most likely with child. I'm punishing you, besides. Go to your bedroom and stay there. I don't want to see you until tomorrow."

She needed no more prompting. Morwenna ran out of the hallway and into her small bedroom, observing the plain furnishings and peeling wallpaper. When would it end? When would it all _end?_

Only when she wearily blinked awake did she realize that she had fallen asleep with her clothes still on, brown robe highly wrinkled from tossing and turning. Was it morning already? Snow was beside her, faintly smelling of honeysuckle.

Then she heard an alien voice talking to her through the door. "It's time to pack your bags, Morwenna. You'll be going to school for next term."

She started, but then she recognized who the voice belonged to, and she was convinced that she was dreaming, that her ears were failing her. Morwenna clung to it like a drowning man out of his wits with pleasure.

It was Alana's voice, and Alana had returned to her after all these years.


End file.
